Controls for toy airplanes



March 4, 19 58 R. P. CLARKSON CONTROLS FOR TOY AIRPLANES Filed Jan. 28

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United States Patent f) CUNTRQLS FGR TGY AIRPLANES Ralph P. Ciarkson, Milford, Conn. Application January 28, 1955, Serial No. 484,760 1 Claim. (Cl. 272-31) My invention relates to controls for toy airplanes of the captive power driven type.

As is well known, such planes have heretofore been flown with the pilot operator in the center of the circle of flight. This requires a substantial radius of flight, usually 30 to 60 feet for small planes, in order to avoid dizziness on the part of the pilot operator who must turn with the plane, as well as to give time for his reaction as he tries to turn, watch the plane and avoid undesired arm action at the same time. Among other drawbacks, this requires a large space for a flying area and such space is seldom available in urban areas except at a considerable distance from home.

Moreover, such method of flying commonly requires that an assistant be available to launch the plane. A further objection to such control is the inability to fly satisfactorily in windy weather, as slackening of the control lines when the plane is forced towards the pilot requires running quickly backwards to take up the slack and in that instant control of the plane may be lost, either by slowness or involuntary arm movement of the control. The result is broken propellers, often cracked planes, and frequently discouragement and expense.

The object of my invention is to overcome all of these obstacles and to make it possible to fly from outside the circle which may be as little as feet or less in radius. This permits both backyard flying and indoor flying in halls and gymnasiums. My invention permits control of the plane at all times and automatic taking up of slack in the control lines, thus allowing flight in windy areas and on windy days.

Moreover, my invention permits one man operation as the plane is launched from the circle perimeter, the diameter of which may be varied during flight of the plane, and the operator is outside the perimeter and thus avialable' for the launching operation. Further, because the pilot operator may be as far outside the circle of flight as he desires, in a fixed position and with good vision, and has only to concentrate on control of the path of the plane, stunt flying of a nature heretofore unknown in small plane flight, including close loops, square loops, wing overs and substantial hoverings are readily performed after only a comparatively few minutes of experience, no footwork being required and the control being fixed and not subject to chance arm movement. The only action required is merely the rocking back and forth of a joy stick with the pilot operator standing, sitting or even lying down.

With the foregoing objects in view and other objects, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction described in this specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. I intend no limitation other than those of the claims Patented Mar. 4, 1958 when fairly interpreted in the light of the full disclosure and the present state of the art.

Referring now to the drawing illustrative of a preferred embodiment of my invention and modifications thereof,

Fig. 1 is illustrative of a preferred embodiment of my invention for mounting on either a hand or fixed center support; Fig. 2 illustrates a form of hand support for the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 indicates a preferred form of center support for the device of Fig. l and shows a preferred arrangement for control from outside the circle; Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate details of construction; Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate other forms of control for either hand or center post support, embodying features of my invention; Fig. 8 is illustrative of a preferred form of launching device for one man operation; Figs. 9 and 10 are further modifications of the device of Fig. 1 and Fig. 11 is a detail of alternate construction.

Similar reference characters relate to similar parts in all the views.

In Fig. 1, an arm 1 is provided with a spreader or rocker member 2, pivoted as at 3 on the arm 1 and provided with guides 4, 4, positioned on opposite sides of the pivot 3 and forming a triangle therewith and with a guide 5 at the outer end of the arm 1. Rocker member 2 is tensed in one direction by a spring 6 and is pulled in the other direction by an operative control 7 attached thereto and extending through a hollow pivot or shaft 8 and including a swivel 9. Preferably the control 7 is a line fastened to the rocker member and engaging a curved surface 1t) thereon having a center at the pivot 3 so that equal travel at any angular position is given by equal take up of the line '7 as spreader 2 is rocked on the pivot 3.

Flexible control lines 11 and 12 are secured to the airplane in the usual manner well known in the art and constitute the connection to define the path traversed by the airplane, one of said lines 11 being an elevator line and the other 12 being a depressor line. Both these control lines pass through the guide 5 and then diverge and pass through guides 4, 4, and may be secured at the gu de or point 13 (see Fig. 6) or continue through said guide to the reel 14 rotatably mounted on the arm 1, the discharge point of the reel 13, the pivot 3 and the outer guide 5 preferably being in a straight line in order that the action of guides 4, 4, on the control lines 11, 12, will equalize them, one being taken up and the other payed out in equal amounts.

Reel 14 may be mounted on a shaft 16 (Fig. 4) on the other end of which is a small reel 17 on which a line 18 (Fig. 1) is fixed and engages a spring 19 atfixed to the rotating arm 1 at 20. Thus unwinding of the control lines 11, 12, from the reel 14 is opposed by the line 18 winding up on reel 17 against the pull of spring 19 and, likewise, any slackening of the lines 11, 12, results in instant take-up on the reel 14 by the spring 19 rotating that reel.

In operation, the spring 19 is tensed to the desired initial amount by loosening the thumbnut 15 and permitting reel 14 to revolve independently as the control lines 11, 12, are payed out towards the launching position. At the proper point the nut 15 is tightened again to permit tensing of spring 19 to the desired extent as the control lines 11, 12, are pulled further to hook on the plane at the launching point. Then when the plane takes to the air, centrifugal pull may extend lines 11, 12, still further and tense spring 19 to equalize the pull of the plane in normal full flight. As the plane slows down, is maneuvered, or is blown towards the control, the tension of spring 19 keeps the control lines always tight and operable by the action of the rocker arm 2.

By making the reel 14 of substantial effective diameter, say four inches, a single turn will give a takeup of over a foot and by making reel 17 of effective diameter of, say, a third of an inch, the length of line 18 may be kept to 'thelines 1'1, 1'2.

7 in lines ""11, 12, as the sprin'g action on the reel T14"keeps 7 :times to thepilofls direction. I t V V A preferred mounting "of. reel 14 is shown in Fig.

55131311 proportionsiandyet reel up many -feetof -slack 'in' Actually in practice, there is no slack such lines tight at all times. Thus there is provided a method. oi flying-captive power driven planes with control liiies'tight' at all ftimes'soasto give instant res'ponseatall wherein the, reel leis provided with'a iclutch arrangement consisting, era gear type .orfto othedmember 21 engaged 'bya' spring pressed lockingmeniber 22 pivotedto shaft 1'6, which "servesto permit reel 14m turn with the spring 'reel'17 but by manual .p'ress'urefby the pilot will release "the toothed member, perniit1reel 14 .to. turn independently iandjpayj'out control. lines'l'l, 12,to'gether,;even when the fplanefis fin flight; and yet serve to holdthe tension of spring (19. 'After paying out otzthe control lines, release of 'the lofcking memberT2210 re-engage member 21 will 7 permit flight at a greaterradius andstill under the tension fofspring19 on fthe'cont'rol lines 11, I2. Also, if desired,

fthelock22'bein'g released and held, the lines 11, 12,.may

be drawn in to decreasefthe circle'fiownfby winding up the reel manually; a handle 23 being provided for that purpose. At the end of the .flight'the controllines 'dis- I connectedfrom the plane may. be' wound up on the reel ,7 ..for storage, ftens'ion;

.. same'time."

onspring 19 being released 'at the 1If'it*is desiredto fly from the center of'the' circle by hand con'trol; the device of Fig. 1 may be set in the supjport' 24 .'of;Fig. 2, being fastened thereto by the screw 25 placed through a'suitable opening 26 in armLthe hollow pivot Sibeing inserted in' the ;tubular opening 27'and the operative control line 7 fastened as at 28 to a spring pressed controltrigger 29 which is grasped by the fingers .Io'f'the hand holding the 'support24, pressure thereon or release ofjpressure therefromacting to control the path' of the airplane by the operation of "the rocker member 2- 'tensing one ofthe guide lines 11, 1,2.

i :Preferably, howeventhe deviceof Fig. I

mounted in a suitable socket 30 of a support 42 (Fig. 3),

:curved surface 10 on the rocker arm.

. l The reel or 'i-segmentfi'l is connected to turn with an foperating line reel 32,the;operating line 33' itself extending from-reel 32 to ajoy stick '34 pivotedon a seat' 35 or otherwise mounted, holes 36' being positioned to give line-with line 33 fastened at the upper'openingbeing for skilled operators while the greater movement o'f the hand 'for slight'line movement with theline'fastened'atthe lower opening, is for beginners. spring 37 maybe provided tohold the joy-stick inneutral against'tensionon the line 313. 'Spring-tension'may be applied to reel'32 by a spring 38, 'if desired. 1 7 p j 1 f yided for. either center or outside circle flying. Designed to betgra'sped in the hand, a tubular recess 40 is provided 7 is rotatably 7 the control line 7.

-pres'sureien-the trigger orother pull#onthe?operativecon-v 11, 1 2, are threaded, however, in a different manner Both are wound on the reel'14 and both'go through the guide 5. The reel action is identical with that shown in a Fig. 1. The action oftherocker arm'has the same result 1 as that of the rocker arm in Fig. 1, as will be set forth. In the modification shown in Fig. 7, one of the airplane control lines passes from the reel 14 aroundone of the pulleys-43, back aroundthefixedlylocated p ulley 44 and out through guide 5. Thisis the elevator control line tensed by any pull on line The depressor controlgline goes from the reel14 around the fixedly positioned pulley V 1 which'support is positioned in the center 'of the flying 1 jcircle. V Sc'rews 60,60, areprovided to secure the support 42 to arigid stake, a tool box, weight, fence post or other fixed object available. I The control line 7, with theswivel 9, maybe fastened to'a small wind up reel or segment 31' for the-same technical reasons as impel the use of the 7 'variousleverages', the lesser leverage on the operating '45,.back around the other rocker arm puny-43 andrthen out through guide 5. Thislineis tensed when the spring 6 actuates the rocker armZB. As is apparent, in eachcase the take up of one line is balanced by a releaseof the other line and both lines are kepttight by jthe spring tensionoi sprin'g19 on'the'reel 14.; In order that the pilot operator, when may be provided a release (Fig? 8) comprising iabaser 46fastened downfinjany manner, "a'sfby suction ap an 47, or otherwise, having a spring .pressed plunger 4 :ri'ding in'iguide P65854150; Thetailof the plane'may beprovided with a'hook'onriiig 4 9 positioned between posts 50,553 and held by the plunger 48 while the engine a is started and other preparations made.' "Then the operator pulls theplunger 48 directly or by a line; 51 extending .to the pilotsfposition and the plane is-releas'ed for 'flight.

jObviously' the release maybe positionedion "the floor,v

ground, or araised platform. a.

Further modifications embodying my inventionare' shown in the devices of Figs. 9 10, andll. 'Inthes'edcvices-thereis a rotatable arm 1C"(Fi'g. '9) and a similar Tbut divided arm ID of Fig. l'OQboth rotated 'by the plane on a hollow pivot member '8. In, each c'a'seajroeker member or spreader 2C ispivotedon'thearm; ,7 iIn' each 'case the control lines .11, 12, pass through an outer guide 5 but may (Figs. .9 and 10)fbe continuous through the rocker arnr guides so'that the respective lengths of the'two'lines .may ib'e equalized. They may'bepassed V I throughthe guides, however, and held atpoint'13 (Fig. 7 ll) aspreviously describedin the deviceofFig'fo. =In 'each case, also, the rocker arm controlilinef'l,

' with swivel,'p assesjthrough the hollow pivot member and I extends to a spring pressed member .521pivote d2blow so that it maybe mounted with a hollow pivot or shaft on "the.support'42 (Fig'..3). Inthis'modification, thecontrol dines-:11, 12, are fastened' atthe point 13; the rocker member "2A is actuated'by a control line 7 passing over a "guidepulley .41- wi th Spring pressed operating trigger 29 actuated as in the device vofiFig'l 2." Infthis'instance' the relative POSIilOllS'OfIhQ elevator and depressor lines arereversedgfrorntheir-position in Fig. l so 'that pressure outrigger 29 serves, as before; to bring tension on the L elevator line; i F i In all. cases sho 7 spring actionion thefiroclter arm 1 a 7 serves {to tensethe depressor control'line to restore the 7 plane to lirlflight. or send {it into a dive 'while, manual '75 regardless of the position of arrn54;

the-hollow pivot'member8, as. at 53 and aotuatedby an operatingline 33, as in Fi'g. 3. V V l 7 7 'In'the device-of Fig. '10, however, the 'rotatablearm 1D is divided to provide. an outer sectiohj'54 pivoted for vertical "movement at 55 with' a guide pr'e'ferablya pulley 56 'over which line-7 jpasses,1ocated at the pivot point and a fguard pulley 57 adjacent thereto. The-'bend- "i ing-point of the-line 7}is thus made at'thepiyot-point Tot 1 the arm .to keep it as nearas possible to the; same length,

An adjustable weight .58 may be. positioned' alon'gifthe V arm'as desired and stops 59,i.59,jiprovided toQlimit the V vupand-down swing ofthe section 54. This weightedfsec- .tion 54. thus provides a .talge'up toprevent slack in lines 21 1, 12, equal 'in amount fto the path. describedibyflth guide 5 at the outer end; he-plan'etin fullflight, with l 'weight.i8 properlypositionei will raise theiarmto p int towards the plane and the weight 55 will 'drop' the In this instance the rocker armVZB carries two a 7 Fixed guides or'pulleys 44, 45,;are'

The action of the using lafflying control, may launchfthe plane himself 'by means aother; "than tossing itin'the air fromoutside the.. .circle,gthere 5 as slack threatens, thus acting to an extent limited by the length of the arm in a similar manner to the reel and spring shown in Fig. 1.

What I claim is:

A control device for captive power driven toy airplanes comprising a pivoted rotating arm and a fixed support therefor, a rocker member pivoted on said arm forward of said arm pivot, flexible control lines connected at one end to the captive airplane, one of said lines being an elevator line and the other a depressor line, a single guide on the end of said arm forward of said rocker member through which both said lines pass together, said lines then diverging and passing through separate guides on said rocker member and together through a single stationary guide on said arm behind said rocker member, said separate guides being spaced apart and on opposite sides of the pivot of said rocker member and forming a triangle therewith, a reel positioned behind said single guide and rotatably supported by a shaft journaled in and extending through said arm, on which said lines are wound, a pulley fixed to said shaft on the reverse side of said arm from said reel, 21 flexible member wound on said pulley and engaging a longitudinally extending spring means fixed to said arm on said reverse side, said spring means providing tension for said reel and a control line engaging said rocker member and passing through the pivot of said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,390,307 Kelecius Dec. 4, 1945 2,432,119 Nash et a1 Dec. 9, 1947 2,559,049 St. Clair July 3, 1951 2,603,910 Jones July 22, 1952 

